The Tree Incident
by akuma-tenshi
Summary: Another fic for Sari's 383 Incident Project... This time with a... tree? SanzoHakkai ahead!


**Disclaimer**: Here we go again! :sighs: Saiyuki, of course, does not belong to the author no matter how hard she'd wish for it… so no suing, eh?! ;; … the author's as poor as a rat, I tell you… 

**Warning**: Shounen-ai err… seinen-ai hints. If you don't like it, then don't read! Please. Don't want anybody flaming me for nothing. You've been amply warned.

**Rating**: PG-13 just to be on the safe side

Random babble of some sort: Erm, this is supposed to be a sequel to the Bedroom Incident although I think it can stand-alone by itself. You'll need to read the other incident fic 'though if you don't want to wonder what happened on that particular night. = = Lots and lots of thanks go to both Sari and Nee-chan for their help and support!! You don't how thankful I am for everything! I love you guys!!! :huggles: This is for you!

Well, on with the fic!!

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**The Tree Incident **

By: akuma-tenshi

Sanzo was seething. He was truly pissed out of his wits. Oh yes, it was another one of those days when that baka zaru just had to test his patience once again by his incessant whining about food and how hungry he was. He would have shot the stupid monkey already if it wasn't for Hakkai who tried to pacify Goku somehow by saying that in a few minutes they'd be arriving at a nearby town, all the while nervously looking between Sanzo and Goku.

The moment they got a glimpse of a few mud houses, the chocolate-haired youngster squealed with glee. They parked at the first inn they saw. The establishment was a bit small compared to the others they've been to that Hakkai hoped so much that there are still rooms left to accommodate them. While the other three proceeded to go inside the small establishment to book for rooms, the blonde-haired priest walked away, further into town. He had already given the Three Aspects' gold card to the brunette driver even before they got out of Jiipu, leaving all the responsibilities to Hakkai's capable hands. _'I need some personal space anyway.'_, the priest thought sullenly.

"Sanzo, where are you going? Aren't you coming with us?", Hakkai asked, voice laced with worry. Ever since Sanzo's unexplained irritation a few weeks ago, the other three were quite worried about the priest's well being. The fact that Sanzo does not enjoy talking about himself just made matters worse.

"Anywhere.", came the surly reply, not even bothering to elaborate what he meant as he disappeared into the afternoon crowd.

After a few moments of hesitation, Hakkai went inside and walked straight to the clerk's counter. To the brunette's astonishment, there were still enough rooms left for all four of them. He quickly did the transactions needed and left his bag and Hakuryu in his room, promising the silver dragon that he will come back soon with food to feed him.

He met Gojyo and Goku at the narrow hall outside their rooms. "Eh?! Hakkai, have you seen Sanzo?", Goku asked worriedly.

"The worldly monk wanted some fresh air so he left.", came Gojyo's bored reply to the question.

"I wonder what's bothering Sanzo... " Hakkai wondered loudly. He then looked at the golden-eyed youngster and put his hand on top of the youth's unruly mop of chocolate hair, ruffling it affectionately, a gentle smile on his face. "We're all worried about him Goku. But I'm sure Sanzo will get back to normal soon. We just need to give him sometime, that's all."

"Ho?! Not so fast, Hakkai! I'm not the least bit worried about that monk! I'm just glad that he's mellowed a bit these past few days! HAH! You don't know how scary it was to even make a noise when I'm with that worldly priest! So don't include me in that category! You can worry about Sanzo-houshi-sama all you like but I'm off tah get mahself some pretty ladies!!", Gojyo drawled. "Now if you two will excuse me… Ja!!", With that, he left the inn with a wave of his hand.

"Yare, yare. Even if Gojyo doesn't want to admit it, I know he's still worried.", Hakkai smiled knowingly and turned to his young companion. "Well then, shall we go make a little trip to the market for some supplies?"

Goku brightened at that and nodded his head. "Hai sensei!!"

0 o 0 o 0

"There you are Sanzo!", said Hakkai as he made his way towards the blonde monk who was half-sitting, half-lying beside the strong trunk of a large tree. The brunette huffed and put both his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. He'd been tirelessly looking for Sanzo for almost an hour and a half now. "I never thought I'd find you here."

"….."

"You've been out for so long…", Hakkai continued as he situated himself on the dirty ground near Sanzo and his claimed tree.

"Oi! Who told you to sit in there!", was the gruff reaction coming from the priest, his flashing eyes boring holes at the back of the brunette's head. Hakkai only gave him an appeasing smile. "Well… you've been alone for quite a while. I figured you might like some company… even if you'd rather bite your tongue than admit it."

"And what made you think that?!"

Hakkai's only answer was a small shrug as he looked up at the reddish-orange sky. The action only making Sanzo more irritated at the other man. "Hn. Don't be too sure of yourself, Hakkai." He grumbled moodily from his position. Then he noticed the ground the brunette was sitting on. It seemed that the only place that was copiously covered by grass was the immediate area at the feet of the tree he was currently sitting under. Without really giving it much thought, he snapped at the other. "You're getting your clothes soiled!"

"Oh! You're right…", Hakkai sweatdropped, noticing Sanzo's point. "Err… it's okay… I'll just… wash it later tonight."

"Ba-ka! Then sit here!", the blonde monk ordered harshly, touching the grassy space next to him but not daring to look at the other man.

It took a few seconds before it sunk into Hakkai what Sanzo just said. "A-aa…are you…su-… a-arigato.", a light blush coloring his cheeks as he slowly seated himself beside the blonde, feeling a bit cautious as to why the priest suddenly made the offer. He knew how Sanzo valued his solitude. That's why he sat a bit farther from where the other was sitting, not wanting to invade the personal space of the blonde monk so much as to offend him. What Sanzo just did was truly puzzling to Hakkai.

Sanzo stiffened the moment he felt Hakkai settle down beside him. He could also feel the tension at the other's lithe form. The other's scent, an intoxicating combination of pine and musk, assaulted his senses once again reminding him of that particular night. He furiously shoved said memories to the back of his already muddled mind. Unbeknownst to the brown-haired man, Sanzo was also surprised at what he just did, silently berating himself for his stupidity of acting impulsively again. He never quite understood why he acted weirdly whenever he's with the brunette.

Uncomfortable silence reigned over both men until Sanzo took notice of the two brown paper bags the brunette was holding. "What are those?", he asked, nodding at the direction of the small bags.

"Oh I almost forgot! Here. Yours." He put one of the paper bags on Sanzo's lap. The blonde-haired man turned to him questioningly, one slim eyebrow arched up. "We went to the market for some supplies when Goku found those strawberries.", Hakkai answered with a soft smile. "I think we should eat them now while they're still fresh. A sense of déjà vu washed over Sanzo as he watched the brunette eat the single strawberry.

He almost jumped when Hakkai turned to him, emerald eyes sparkling in the late afternoon light. "Don't you like strawberries, Sanzo?", he asked as a droplet of the fruit's juice threatened to fall from the corner of his mouth. He swiped at it absently with his thumb and licked said finger, oblivious to how his actions were affecting his blonde companion. Sanzo almost groaned in response, watching the scene unfold in front of him as he felt something harden downwards. _'Does that baka even knows what he's doing to me?!?!?!'_ The irate priest growled inwardly at his weakness. _'Well, you're the one who offered him to sit beside you. Don't deny it. You know you're enjoying it too.'_, an annoyingly tiny voice quipped inside his head. This he stomped and squished violently, unconsciously letting out a frustrated growl. _'I'm going to murder that monkey prat the moment I get back!!'_, the priest promised himself, directing his anger at one certain golden-eyed boy. He was on the verge of pulling out his hair when a soft voice interrupted his musings.

"Sanzo, daijoubu ka?", Hakkai looked worriedly at Sanzo, the forgotten bag of strawberries lay open on his lap. "Well…", he looked down at his hands as he continued his sentence. "… you've been horribly moody and easily irritated these past few days… and we're… we're worried about you." The brunette slowly lifted up his head and looked directly at the disgruntled blonde monk, emerald pools shining with pure concern and sincerity. "If there's anything bothering you, please don't hesitate… you can always tell me. It always help when—"

"It's none of your business.", Sanzo snapped at the other man, cutting off the rest of his sentence.

Hakkai's eyes widened for a second then he nodded slowly, lips upturned into a wistful smile. "Aa. You're right. It's none of my business. Gomen." Then, his smile brightened and in a voice full of sincerity, the brunette said, "Just remember that we're always here and looking out for each other, ne? That's one important thing I learned in this journey." Sanzo could only respond with a small nod. "Besides, Sanzo is really being nice today! I never thought he cares about my clothes getting dirty.", Hakkai added teasingly.

"Don't. Push. Your. Luck. Hakkai.", Again, the brunette found himself the center of that ever-famous Sanzo death glare that he chuckled nervously, holding his hands, palms facing Sanzo as an act to calm the bristling monk. "Ahaha… Gomen. Gomen. I was only trying to lighten the mood, ne?"

The two men sat under the tree in companionable silence. Each to his own thoughts while simply enjoying the peacefulness the other offered. Sanzo looked at his brown-haired companion and could not help but notice how beautiful the other was, especially with the wind toying his dark chocolate locks. He discovered how soft and silky they were that seemingly unforgettable night at the inn. The monk suppressed the sudden urge he felt to run his hands on the other's hair, to feel again that velvety-softness he never imagined would be possible for any man to possess as Hakkai's messy mop of a hair does. Instead, he called. "Hakkai…?", his voice soft and quiet, barely reaching the other's ear and yet he still heard him.

"Hai, Sanzo?" When Hakkai slowly turned his head to him, Sanzo felt the world come to a sudden halt as he caught sight of the other's sparkling emerald pools. The late afternoon light, or rather what was left of it, played with the different shades of green on the other man's eyes enchanting the golden-haired priest. It was truly amazing how anyone could own such beautiful and expressive set of eyes. And he found it hard to continue what he was going to say while the other man just looked at him, politely waiting. Plain stubbornness won in the end and with steely determination, he continued. "Why… do the three of you stay?", asked he, hesitation and uncertainness evident on his voice.

The brunette was taken aback by the other's inquiry. Truly, that was not the question he was expecting. He thought for a while and smiled gently. "Because that is what we want."

"I wonder just why would you want that?", was the other's quick retort, voice dripping with cynicism.

"Because we do, Sanzo… we just do." Hakkai's reply was quick and sure, as he flashed the monk another one of his genuine smiles.

"Hn. You and your riddles." Sanzo replied heatedly as the other chuckled at him. Sometimes, he just couldn't comprehend Hakkai's enigmatic personality.

"Maa, maa… I remember a kind old lady who once told me that no matter how much man tried to isolate his self and his heart from others, there will come a time when he too, just like any other being, would seek warmth… and that warmth would melt the cold ice that he consciously built around him… for no one wishes to be cold forever." Hakkai looked up at the waning radiance of the twilight, a small wistful smile on his face. "I only realized what the old lady meant when I finally met her."

"Kanan..", whispered Sanzo. It was a statement and not an inquiry. He was simply stating the obvious.

Hakkai nodded slowly and turned to the blonde man once again. "Aa. She used to be. Sadly, she left. And then I met you, Gojyo and Goku… and I could feel it again. I could feel the warmth again… and that makes me truly grateful."

"Hn." Sanzo grunted and looked away. "Have you gotten rooms already?", he asked a few seconds after, hoping to steer the conversation away from what Hakkai just said.

"Hai. There were enough left to accommodate all four of us. Surprisingly, there aren't many travelers staying there so I was able to get a room for each of us." Sanzo sighed thankfully inside at Hakkai's answer. He thought he needed time to think about what the brunette had told him just moments ago.

"Oh my… it's already dark already. I think we better get back to the inn before Goku eats all our supper.", Hakkai said as he slowly stood up. He was brushing off some dirt from his pants when Sanzo spoke. "You still miss her." Yet another straightforward statement coming from the solitary monk.

The brunette sighed softly and looked up at the dark, ivory sky already littered with what must have been billions of little twinkling lights. "Aa. Sometimes." He closed his eyes breathing deeply. "Although I seem to miss her less and less these days. To remember her memory… the happy times we spent together… that's the only thing I can do." Hakkai let out a few faint chuckles. "I've learned to move on, Sanzo. All thanks to you. You're the one who taught me how. Arigato ne, Sanzo." He looked up, smiling softly at the blonde man who was also looking at him. "I'm sure you'll find your warmth someday. Well… we should head back now." With that, the emerald-eyed man turned and walked back to the inn.

Sanzo could only stare wonderingly at the other's retreating back. For once in his life, he was left speechless. The blonde monk shook his head slowly, an attempt to clear it of its cobwebs just until he reach the safety of his own room at the inn.

"Maybe… maybe you're right, Hakkai. Maybe you're right.", Sanzo murmured quietly into the darkness. Then, he too, slowly got up from where he sat and dusted his robe. He strolled back to the inn, the brown bag of strawberries held tightly in his right hand.

**Owari**

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Hee! I finally managed to cough out another fic! And it's even longer that the other one! ;;; does a silly dance YAY! I'm glad! …Even if it didn't quite turn out the way I wanted it too. sighs I even wrote it a few times!! Well, summer is already over in the Philippines, much to the disdain of all the students here (including moi). ;; I'm happy I finished it in time! ;; I'd be very busy once classes start again… I really need to work a lot harder now that I'm in my Junior year. UGH! X(

Anyways… like it? Hate it? Please do tell me when you review. Arigato!! :bows and scampers: off


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